WEBVTT 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:06.140 I don't know if you've ever thought about why it is that we actually worship. 00:00:06.339 --> 00:00:12.240 Why do we come to, for those of us that are Christians, why do we come to church and engage in corporate worship? 00:00:12.740 --> 00:00:15.740 And when I say worship, I mean more than just singing songs. 00:00:16.199 --> 00:00:19.300 I mean the whole family worship encounter. 00:00:19.859 --> 00:00:25.539 Why is it that we come and we take communion together and we listen to God's word open and we pray prayers together 00:00:25.539 --> 00:00:29.760 and we sing songs of adoration and devotion to who God is? 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:35.880 So, as we look at the book of Revelation, there's worship after worship after worship happening. 00:00:36.020 --> 00:00:39.960 And the passage we're going to look at today is going to give us just one of many reasons 00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:46.379 why it's imperative that those that call ourselves followers of Jesus are those who know how to worship. 00:00:47.400 --> 00:00:53.159 And so in the book of Revelation, chapter 13, the apostle John has these two visions. 00:00:54.340 --> 00:00:58.100 And it's these visions of these beastly looking creatures. 00:00:58.100 --> 00:01:07.480 In fact, it's actually these, the first one is verses 1 to 10 and then verse 11 to 18. 00:01:08.040 --> 00:01:12.120 Now if you know anything about the book of Revelation, remember we worked through it last year as a church, 00:01:12.640 --> 00:01:14.319 the book of Revelation is full of imagery. 00:01:14.520 --> 00:01:15.840 It's not meant to be taken literally. 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:26.960 And these images of these two beasts are actually two sides or two faces or two facets of Satan and his work. 00:01:27.300 --> 00:01:30.000 Remember in chapter 12, Satan is called the deceiver. 00:01:30.780 --> 00:01:40.760 And John has these two visions of this beastly looking creature that are two masks or two faces of who Satan is and what he's doing in the world. 00:01:40.760 --> 00:01:59.360 And in the first one, the first vision of this beast is a picture of Satan who is going about ravaging the world and causing chaos and tyranny and fear in the world. 00:01:59.719 --> 00:02:03.520 Look at verses 2 with me. 00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:07.619 He's described as a leopard and a bear and a lion. 00:02:08.259 --> 00:02:12.560 And Satan has given this beast power and throne and authority. 00:02:13.340 --> 00:02:19.180 And in verse 3, he says that the whole earth marveled and followed this beast and worshipped it. 00:02:19.599 --> 00:02:24.079 In verse 7, this talks about how it's allowed to make war on the saints and conquer them. 00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:28.960 And authority is given to this beast of every tribe and nation and language and tongue. 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:33.200 In other words, John has this vision of this beastly creature. 00:02:33.920 --> 00:02:36.820 And it's a creature that is given power and authority. 00:02:37.560 --> 00:02:40.719 And it causes chaos in the world and fear in the world. 00:02:40.980 --> 00:02:43.879 And it promises safety and security. 00:02:44.219 --> 00:02:48.480 It gives a false promise of safety and security for those that swear allegiance to it. 00:02:48.939 --> 00:02:49.000 Okay? 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:54.699 And so while John has this vision of these beasts, the purpose of these beasts is to do two things. 00:02:54.979 --> 00:02:59.080 To one, to destroy the faith of God's people. 00:02:59.539 --> 00:03:04.159 And two, to usurp or steal worship towards itself. 00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:04.860 Okay? 00:03:05.400 --> 00:03:10.939 And so this first beast does that by bringing chaos and fear and distraction on the earth. 00:03:10.939 --> 00:03:16.099 And it tries to terrorize people and usurp allegiance and worship that way. 00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:16.699 Okay? 00:03:17.500 --> 00:03:18.780 But look at verse 10. 00:03:18.780 --> 00:03:22.620 Look at how John calls God's people to respond. 00:03:22.780 --> 00:03:29.080 In the face of this opposition and persecution and fear of what the future is going to be like, God's people are called to do what? 00:03:30.300 --> 00:03:34.360 God's people are called to endure and for faith. 00:03:34.439 --> 00:03:38.939 He says here in verse 10, this is a call for the endurance and the faith of the saints. 00:03:39.939 --> 00:03:43.819 Look at the second image or vision that John has in verse 11. 00:03:43.819 --> 00:03:48.979 In the second image, John has this vision of this beastly-like creature. 00:03:49.319 --> 00:03:53.459 But this is not a creature that is full of power and strength. 00:03:53.819 --> 00:03:56.479 It's a beast that speaks like a dragon. 00:03:57.199 --> 00:03:59.659 And yet when John looks at it, it looks like a lamb. 00:03:59.659 --> 00:04:04.740 Now, in the book of Revelation, the lamb is always a picture of Jesus, right? 00:04:04.819 --> 00:04:08.240 Remember, Jesus is the lamb of God who was slain for the sins of the world. 00:04:09.019 --> 00:04:17.420 Here, John has a vision of this creature that wants to destroy the faith of God's people and usurp worship, steal worship away from God's people. 00:04:17.420 --> 00:04:29.860 And the way he does it is by acting like a counterfeit savior, a Jesus that will lay down his life for people, that will promise you everything that you're looking for. 00:04:30.560 --> 00:04:33.639 And look at how John describes it. 00:04:33.660 --> 00:04:34.319 Look at verse 1. 00:04:34.400 --> 00:04:35.860 He says, I saw this beast rising. 00:04:36.060 --> 00:04:36.920 Sorry, verse 11. 00:04:37.060 --> 00:04:38.660 I saw this beast rising out of the earth. 00:04:39.160 --> 00:04:42.540 It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 00:04:42.980 --> 00:04:46.160 And it enticed worship for the beast. 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:48.260 Look at verse 14. 00:04:48.380 --> 00:04:54.700 It tells us that this counterfeit Jesus does signs and wonders and miracles in order to deceive those who live on the earth. 00:04:55.080 --> 00:04:58.440 But not only that, verse 16 tells us why he does it. 00:04:59.020 --> 00:05:09.640 One of the ways that this counterfeit Jesus elicits worship is by promising prosperity and abundance to those that seek safety and refuge in it. 00:05:10.260 --> 00:05:10.500 Okay? 00:05:10.500 --> 00:05:11.800 Look at verse 16. 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:12.220 It says, 00:05:12.220 --> 00:05:29.660 And that is what he's saying is John has these two visions. 00:05:29.660 --> 00:05:37.140 These two sides of the activity of Satan in the world that is bent on destroying God's people and stealing worship that's deserved for God. 00:05:37.480 --> 00:05:42.960 One of these visions is of this creature that comes with strength and power and might. 00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:45.280 He looks like a lion and a leopard and a bear. 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:49.800 And he tries to terrorize people into finding safety and security in it. 00:05:49.800 --> 00:05:59.600 The other one comes and he looks like Jesus and he promises access to financial markets, access to wealth, prosperity, and abundance. 00:06:00.280 --> 00:06:00.639 He says, 00:06:00.740 --> 00:06:05.680 If you come and find allegiance in me, I will allow you to trade and buy and sell. 00:06:05.780 --> 00:06:08.319 I will give you prosperity and abundance. 00:06:09.019 --> 00:06:09.180 Okay? 00:06:09.840 --> 00:06:13.360 And so the one beast tries to secure worship for itself with fear. 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:18.480 The other one through seduction and promises of blessing and prosperity. 00:06:19.180 --> 00:06:20.420 You see what's going on here? 00:06:20.699 --> 00:06:21.319 You following? 00:06:22.360 --> 00:06:22.639 Okay. 00:06:24.199 --> 00:06:25.759 Now what does John do here? 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:28.280 What is the response? 00:06:28.780 --> 00:06:31.000 Actually, sorry, in verse 18, John says, 00:06:31.460 --> 00:06:34.120 This calls for the saints to have wisdom. 00:06:35.220 --> 00:06:39.060 And so the one hand, God's people need faith and endurance. 00:06:39.259 --> 00:06:41.259 On the other hand, God's people need wisdom. 00:06:41.259 --> 00:06:50.360 Where are God's people going to find the faith and endurance that we need to defy the work of Satan and to stay steadfast in who God is? 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:57.180 Where are we going to find the wisdom to know how it is to remain faithful to Jesus in the midst of everything that's going on in the world? 00:06:57.319 --> 00:06:58.639 Where are we going to find these things? 00:07:01.159 --> 00:07:03.539 Look at what John says here. 00:07:04.099 --> 00:07:05.560 Look at chapter 14. 00:07:05.560 --> 00:07:13.000 In chapter 14, John invites us to be people of worship. 00:07:14.300 --> 00:07:18.879 In the midst of the chaos that's going on in the world, John has another vision. 00:07:19.579 --> 00:07:21.620 In fact, John sees behind the curtain. 00:07:21.740 --> 00:07:26.660 In a sense, John sees the end for which the story of the world, how it all ends. 00:07:26.660 --> 00:07:36.939 And what he sees is a vision of God on the throne, of Jesus Christ the Lamb, and he sees God's people around the throne in worship. 00:07:37.900 --> 00:07:42.120 And what John's doing here in chapter 14 is John isn't giving us an alternative. 00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:52.720 He's inviting us to come and be people who find our hope and our identity in who God is, seated on the throne, by worshiping Him. 00:07:52.720 --> 00:08:06.900 John is inviting us, giving us another alternative to being terrorized by the fear-mongering of Satan and being seduced by the false reality and to find our hope and our identity and our peace in who God is and to worship Him on the throne. 00:08:06.980 --> 00:08:09.140 Look at what he says here in chapter 14, verse 1. 00:08:09.800 --> 00:08:10.200 He says, 00:08:10.199 --> 00:08:40.179 John tells us that in the midst of everything that's going on in the world, the best thing that God's people can do is to be those who know how to work. 00:08:40.179 --> 00:08:45.839 Friends, the last two years have been crazy years in our world, right? 00:08:45.939 --> 00:08:48.299 Especially for those of us in Hong Kong. 00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:51.539 Everything's been torn, turned upside down. 00:08:52.039 --> 00:08:54.439 Nothing is like what it used to be 18 months ago. 00:08:54.919 --> 00:08:58.279 Two years ago, who would have predicted the world would look like what it does today? 00:08:58.779 --> 00:09:04.159 And who knows when it's going to end and when things are going to go back to how we previously knew them, if ever. 00:09:05.599 --> 00:09:07.299 The world is in a crazy state. 00:09:07.299 --> 00:09:17.799 And what that means is that followers of Jesus need to find both a profound wisdom, but also a faith and an endurance. 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:26.779 In the midst of all the craziness that's going on, followers of Christ, God's people, need to find this wisdom and this endurance and this faith. 00:09:26.859 --> 00:09:27.919 And where are we going to find it? 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:35.679 John tells us that we find it as we fix our eyes on Christ and who he hears as we give ourselves to be people of worship. 00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:45.059 John has this vision that despite what's going on in the world, he sees how the story ends and it ends with God's people around the throne in worship. 00:09:45.719 --> 00:09:49.000 And as we read the rest of the book of Revelation, what is it that they're singing? 00:09:49.000 --> 00:09:50.200 Well, we're told. 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:51.240 They're singing things like, 00:09:51.779 --> 00:09:56.720 Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come. 00:09:57.100 --> 00:09:58.000 They're singing things like, 00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:07.480 Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power and praise for you created all things and by your will they existed. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:09.000 They're singing songs like, 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:16.220 Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. 00:10:16.220 --> 00:10:27.740 To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever and ever and ever. 00:10:31.139 --> 00:10:38.200 God's people are those who in the midst of everything that's going on have managed to fix their eyes on a greater reality. 00:10:39.000 --> 00:10:44.399 Are the awesomeness and the supremacy and the infinite worth of who God is. 00:10:47.899 --> 00:10:51.759 John's giving these Christians a vision of what's ultimate reality and what's ultimately true. 00:10:51.840 --> 00:10:58.419 And he's inviting them, he's inviting us to defy the advances of Satan by being people of worship. 00:10:59.840 --> 00:11:01.100 Do you remember that old hymn? 00:11:02.440 --> 00:11:06.299 Turn your eyes upon Jesus. 00:11:06.299 --> 00:11:09.639 Look full in his wonderful face. 00:11:10.179 --> 00:11:17.679 And the things of the earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:20.639 Friends, that's what John's inviting us to do. 00:11:20.740 --> 00:11:29.519 He's inviting us to turn our eyes in the midst of political uncertainty, economical uncertainty, relational uncertainty, vocational uncertainty. 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:34.759 In the midst of everything that's going on, John is inviting us to fix our eyes on Jesus. 00:11:35.559 --> 00:11:38.059 To turn and fix our eyes upon him. 00:11:38.159 --> 00:11:39.939 To look full in his wonderful face. 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:45.460 And to find the hope and the wisdom and the endurance and the faith that we need. 00:11:47.139 --> 00:11:48.840 Worship does a couple of things for us. 00:11:49.019 --> 00:11:52.360 I want to just highlight three or four and then we're going to go back into a time of singing. 00:11:53.100 --> 00:11:56.299 Worship firstly, it reminds us of what's ultimately true. 00:11:56.299 --> 00:12:06.819 You know, every single day we are told a hundred times a day that our hope and our identity, our security and our peace is found in the things around us. 00:12:07.219 --> 00:12:14.399 Every day we're being told that to fix our eyes on our bank accounts, on political certainty, on our jobs and the things around us. 00:12:15.219 --> 00:12:23.179 Worship reminds us that all the money in the world, all the security in the world, all the best vaccines in the world are not going to add to your life one single day. 00:12:23.179 --> 00:12:25.000 Because your life is found in Christ. 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:30.700 Every day, friends, we are told that you are the center of your world and that you've got to make much of yourself. 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:37.299 And as we fix our eyes upon Christ, we are told that we are not the center of the world, but there is a sovereign God who rules and reigns. 00:12:37.700 --> 00:12:38.980 We are reminded of what's true. 00:12:39.940 --> 00:12:43.159 Worship reminds us of where our identity is found. 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:49.019 Every day we are told that our identity is found in things like our work, in what we accomplish, 00:12:49.019 --> 00:12:54.720 in our bank accounts, in relationships, and for Hong Kongers in our children, right? 00:12:56.059 --> 00:13:02.399 Worship, when we fix our eyes on God, it reminds us that our identity, who we are, is not found in those things around us, 00:13:02.460 --> 00:13:08.379 but fundamentally that if you're a Christian, you're in Christ, you belong to Him, you've been purchased with His blood. 00:13:08.379 --> 00:13:16.539 That Christ has brought us out of hell, not with silver or gold or any perishable currency or anything that the stock market can crash. 00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:22.980 You belong to Him and you've been secured by the infinite, eternally valid blood of Jesus. 00:13:23.879 --> 00:13:30.379 Worship reminds us that our identity is found, is rock-solid secure, because it's found in Christ and who He is. 00:13:30.379 --> 00:13:34.019 Friends, worship reminds us who we belong to. 00:13:34.799 --> 00:13:37.159 I don't know if you saw that in verse 17. 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:39.500 Satan comes and he says, 00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:45.720 I promise you access to the markets and financial wealth and security, if only you'll take my name, 00:13:45.799 --> 00:13:48.539 if you'll have my name written on your forehead or on your hand. 00:13:49.480 --> 00:13:54.379 But in chapter 14, John says that the saints are those that have the name of God written on them. 00:13:54.379 --> 00:14:02.720 When we come and we fix our eyes on who God is, when we worship God by taking communion and praying and listening to God's word and singing songs of adoration, 00:14:03.179 --> 00:14:09.820 it reminds us whose we are, who we belong to, that our name is written eternally in the book of life, 00:14:09.960 --> 00:14:15.919 that our name is engraved on the nail-scarred hands of Jesus, that we are His, that we belong to Him. 00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:18.399 But fourthly, do you know what worship does? 00:14:19.019 --> 00:14:20.820 Worship doesn't just do that for us. 00:14:21.379 --> 00:14:22.679 It does that for one another. 00:14:22.679 --> 00:14:27.879 You see, one of the reasons why we don't just worship individually, we don't just worship in our bedrooms. 00:14:28.339 --> 00:14:34.659 One of the reasons we come together Sunday after Sunday and we take communion together and we pray together and we listen to God's word 00:14:34.659 --> 00:14:39.379 and we sing together is so that we can remind and strengthen one another. 00:14:40.239 --> 00:14:44.000 Friends, worship isn't just for ourselves, it's actually for the body of Christ. 00:14:44.099 --> 00:14:45.139 It's for our church family. 00:14:45.639 --> 00:14:50.599 As we declare the glory of God in song, as we proclaim the mercy of God in preaching, 00:14:50.600 --> 00:14:54.080 as we portray the faithfulness of God in prayer, 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:56.920 as we listen to the grace of God in His word, 00:14:57.300 --> 00:15:02.460 as we remember the grace of God and the sacraments and the bread and the juice that's broken, 00:15:02.580 --> 00:15:05.879 we proclaim to one another, you belong to Jesus. 00:15:06.379 --> 00:15:08.159 Your identity isn't found in Jesus. 00:15:08.700 --> 00:15:12.159 Our hope, my hope, your hope, is in the risen Christ. 00:15:12.860 --> 00:15:15.980 Friends, worship is actually warfare. 00:15:15.980 --> 00:15:19.539 It's a battle for your soul. 00:15:20.300 --> 00:15:21.740 It's a battle for your heart. 00:15:22.539 --> 00:15:25.600 And every week we're being told by a thousand different voices, 00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:32.820 whether on social media or in the MTR line or on the front page of the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times, 00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:36.820 that our identity and our hope and our security is found in things around us. 00:15:36.820 --> 00:15:40.720 And every Sunday and every day during the week, 00:15:40.760 --> 00:15:43.340 as we open up our Bibles and read and pray, 00:15:44.220 --> 00:15:46.360 we're actually doing battle and we're being reminded, 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:48.540 we're being reminded of what's true. 00:15:49.160 --> 00:15:53.740 We're being told that our hope and our identity is in the risen Lamb, 00:15:54.400 --> 00:15:55.580 the one who died, 00:15:56.360 --> 00:15:57.720 the one who rose again, 00:15:57.960 --> 00:15:59.260 the one who's seated on the throne, 00:15:59.740 --> 00:16:01.880 the one who invites us to come and worship Him. 00:16:02.620 --> 00:16:03.660 Can I ask you to stand? 00:16:03.659 --> 00:16:10.379 And we're going to continue to sing songs of devotion and worship to our God. 00:16:11.419 --> 00:16:14.939 Maybe I can ask you if you're comfortable just to open up your hands. 00:16:15.179 --> 00:16:17.620 There's nothing super spiritual about opening your hands, 00:16:17.740 --> 00:16:19.519 but it's a sign of saying, 00:16:19.559 --> 00:16:20.139 God, I'm open, 00:16:20.299 --> 00:16:22.480 as opposed to being crossed and closed. 00:16:24.059 --> 00:16:25.939 If you're comfortable to close your eyes, 00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:28.679 friends, how are you doing this morning? 00:16:28.679 --> 00:16:37.239 Friends, some of us come and we may be feeling weary and need deep soul rest. 00:16:39.979 --> 00:16:41.199 Some of us come this morning, 00:16:41.299 --> 00:16:43.159 we feel useless and we need a Redeemer. 00:16:46.859 --> 00:16:48.120 Some of us come this morning, 00:16:48.239 --> 00:16:50.759 we feel like we failed again and again, 00:16:50.939 --> 00:16:51.919 and we need mercy, 00:16:52.099 --> 00:16:52.740 we need forgiveness. 00:16:55.439 --> 00:16:58.000 Some of us are weak and we need empowering grace. 00:16:58.679 --> 00:17:03.419 Friends, some of us feel unloved or unlovable. 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:07.440 We need the loving arms of a good and gracious King. 00:17:09.919 --> 00:17:13.779 Some of us have been seduced by the lies and allures of this world. 00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:16.460 We need to see the beauty of Jesus again. 00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:22.819 Some of us feel battered, afflicted, worn out, 00:17:22.899 --> 00:17:23.740 and we need rescue. 00:17:23.740 --> 00:17:28.099 Friends, some of us feel spiritually dry. 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:30.539 Some of us feel hard. 00:17:31.500 --> 00:17:33.059 Some of us feel apathetic, 00:17:33.099 --> 00:17:35.660 and we need the Holy Spirit to come and minister to us 00:17:35.660 --> 00:17:38.440 and remind us of who we are in Christ. 00:17:39.620 --> 00:17:42.019 Friends, this morning, God invites us to worship Him, 00:17:42.480 --> 00:17:44.759 to turn our eyes upon Jesus, 00:17:45.220 --> 00:17:48.339 to look full in His wonderful face, 00:17:48.339 --> 00:17:52.819 so that the things of this earth will grow strangely dim 00:17:52.819 --> 00:17:57.819 in the light of His glory and His grace. 00:17:57.819 --> 00:17:58.819 What does the sun always mean? 00:18:07.179 --> 00:18:09.019 What does the sun take to worship Him either? 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:11.480 He never להיר the flesh. 00:18:11.480 --> 00:18:13.399 He never entrada vor me, 00:18:13.399 --> 00:18:14.679 he never thought baby prophet, 00:18:14.679 --> 00:18:15.039 by hisorigine. 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:16.000 It would be open to us here today. 00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:18.980 That come from me to a nanny hall 00:18:18.980 --> 00:18:19.759 when I invest in God. 00:18:19.919 --> 00:18:20.819 We need seis and four days with our life. 00:18:20.819 --> 00:18:24.879 Asci은 man has expressed as miscynial ran 00:18:24.879 --> 00:18:25.659 because of his love handwriting.